Kaoru's First Love
by savvyliterate
Summary: When Kaoru starts going on a mysterious errand every day, her friends begin to speculate about where she is going. Could it be that Kaoru's fallen in love...but not with Kenshin?
1.

"Kaoru no Hatsukoi???"  
by DQBunny  
  
Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is not mine. Too   
bad. I could use a red-haired rurouni in my life. Oh   
well, he, Kaoru, and the others all belong to Watsuki   
Nobuhiro. The original concept for "Ami-chan no   
Hatsukoi" belongs to Takeuchi Naoko.  
  
Author's Note: This pitiful attempt at a first   
RK-fic (hey, you have to start somewhere) is loosely   
based off the Sailormoon SuperS special "Ami-chan no   
Hatsukoi." In fact, some scenes in this fic play out   
like the scenes from the anime version of the story.   
That's what you get for daydreaming about Kenshin   
stories while listening to music from another anime.   
Anyhow, enjoy this humble piece of work ::bows:: Also,  
the title itself means "Kaoru's First Love?" although   
we all know who that really is ;-)  
  
*****  
  
Part One – Kaoru's Mysterious "Errand"  
  
The early spring sunshine streamed through the   
windows, bathing the face of the young woman lying   
asleep on her futon in light. Her nose scrunched up   
and she tossed one arm over her eyes to shield them   
from the brightness. After a moment, the tantalizing   
smells of breakfast greeted her nostrils. Kaoru   
yawned and sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.   
She stretched her muscles, then looked out the window   
at the birds that were busy building a nest in the   
tree outside. She smiled, enjoying the feeling of   
relaxation and complete peace with herself.  
  
"Busu! Breakfast!" A shrill, young voice echoed   
down the hall.  
  
Yahiko had to destroy it.  
  
Kaoru's head's head snapped toward the door, her   
hand moving instinctively for her shinai to give her   
student a good whack upside the head. Her gaze landed   
on her red kimono laid out across the room, and she   
forgot about getting revenge on Yahiko for ruining her   
morning. Remembering what day it was, she got up and   
started to dress in her kimono instead of her usual   
practice gi and hakama.  
  
In the kitchen, Yahiko quickly scarfed down the   
bowl of rice set out for him, cramming a few pickles into   
his mouth as well. Kenshin watched this with great   
amusement as he scooped out a second helping of rice for   
Yahiko. The boy looked like a gopher with his cheeks   
stuffed full of rice and pickle. "You're hungry this   
morning, Yahiko," he commented, handing the bowl to him.  
  
Yahiko swallowed some of the food, but his cheeks   
still puffed out. "He..grwin by ha ta ea lot!" he managed   
to say while working through the rest of the food.  
  
"Just be sure to leave some for Kaoru-dono."  
  
Yahiko managed to get the rest of his food down.   
"Busu better get her butt up if she wants any breakfast   
then. She doesn't need the beauty sleep that's for sure."  
  
Before Kenshin could come to Kaoru's defense, her   
voice floated down the hall to the kitchen.  
  
"I heard that, Yahiko," Kaoru said. She walked   
into the kitchen dressed in her kimono, but clutching   
her shinai in one hand. "You can do 500 practice   
swings on top of scrubbing the dojo floors as usual   
plus anything else that Kenshin needs help doing today   
while I'm gone."  
  
"NANI?"  
  
"You look nice today, Kaoru-dono," Kenshin said   
as quickly as possible to avoid a fight. Besides, it   
was the truth, he thought as his eyes raked the length   
of her body. He quickly turned his attention back to   
the kettle, not quite seeing what was inside. "So,   
where're you going?"  
  
"Just on an errand," Kaoru's eyes sparkled with   
excitement.  
  
"Some errand," Yahiko nudged Kaoru when she sat   
next to him. "It's gotta be something important in   
order for you to look as nice as that!"  
  
Kaoru blushed, fighting for the right words to   
say. She looked at Yahiko's mischievous eyes and   
Kenshin, who seemed to be very interested in the   
kettle at that moment. "It's not that important,   
Yahiko," she flustered.  
  
Kenshin started to scoop up Kaoru's portion of   
rice, but his spoon hit the bottom of the kettle   
instead. He peered inside to see a few grains of rice   
clinging to the bottom and sides of the kettle.   
Yahiko had eaten it all. Without hesitating, he   
picked up the bowl of rice that he had set aside for   
himself and handed it to Kaoru.  
  
"Arigato, Kenshin," Kaoru accepted the bowl and   
narrowed her eyes at him. She was no fool, she saw   
what he did.  
  
"So, come on, tell us what's going on," Yahiko   
urged her.  
  
"It's none of your business," Kaoru replied,   
eating as quickly as she possibly could. She placed   
the half-finished bowl of rice in front of the   
rurouni, who had taken a seat across from her. "I'm   
finished! It was good, Kenshin."  
  
"Can I have the rest?" Yahiko asked, reaching for   
the bowl. A well-placed shinai hit to his wrist caused   
him to snatch his hand back.  
  
"Iie. That's for Kenshin, since I noticed that he   
gave his breakfast up for me. Probably because a   
certain student of mine had to be a pig and eat it   
all. I refuse to have a student of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu   
turn into a roly-poly."  
  
"Busu. You're getting all high and mighty,"   
Yahiko muttered, rubbing his wrist.  
  
Kaoru ignored him and rose to her feet,   
inspecting her kimono to see if anything had dropped   
on it. She stared at her reflection in the window,   
then pinched her cheeks and bit her lip to bring   
natural color to them. Using her hands, she smoothed   
down the hair in her ponytail while her disgruntled   
student and entranced rurouni watched.  
  
Yahiko reached over and poked Kenshin. "Why don't   
you ask her again where she's going?" he whispered.   
"She listens to you. She normally tells us where she's   
going, especially looking all nice like that."  
  
Kenshin shook his head. "If Kaoru-dono doesn't   
want us to know her business, then sessha doesn't have   
the right to ask."  
  
"Chicken," Yahiko muttered.  
  
"I'm off!" Kaoru said, waving to the guys. "I'll   
see you this afternoon!"  
  
"Ja ne, Kaoru-dono," Kenshin replied, cheerfully.   
Still, Yahiko had a point. Usually Kaoru was very   
open with her whereabouts. Part of his mind started   
to wonder what she was doing.  
  
*****  
  
The next morning...  
  
"1,000 strokes plus cleaning the floors in the   
house as well, Yahiko. I told you not to hog all the   
rice!"  
  
"Not fair, Kaoru!"  
  
"So, Kaoru-dono, you look nice today. Where're   
you going?"  
  
"Oh? Just on some errands. I'll be back tonight!   
Ja!"  
  
*****  
  
The third morning...  
  
"Having fun on your errands, Kaoru-dono?"  
  
Kaoru, dressed in her red kimono for the third   
day in a row, frowned at Kenshin. "It's none of your   
business, you know."  
  
Kenshin held up his hands in a gesture of peace.   
"Hai, hai, sessha knows this. We just miss seeing you   
around the dojo lately."  
  
"Oh. Well, I hope I won't be as long today. Ja!"  
  
*****  
  
The fourth morning...  
  
"Ohayo, Kaoru-do..."  
  
"Ohayo and ja ne, Kenshin! I'll be back this   
afternoon!" Kaoru ran out of the dojo,   
bypassing breakfast completely.  
  
*****  
The fifth morning...  
  
Kenshin thought he was going to go out of his   
mind.  
  
Once again, Kaoru had sailed into the kitchen,   
ate a little breakfast, yelled at Yahiko and left on   
"errands." If today was going to be like all week had   
been, he would listen to Yahiko complain about Kaoru   
all day. As dark approached, Kenshin would some how   
place himself near the dojo entrance so he could see   
if she came home safely. Always, after dark, she   
would return to the dojo. Her face and hands would be   
dirty and her kimono mussed. But, she looked   
ecstatic. They would eat and she would go to bed   
early just to have it all repeat again the next day.  
  
The first and second days, he didn't give a   
second thought to Kaoru being gone all day. By the   
third day, he had begun to wonder. By now, he had   
declared himself mentally unstable, his mind running   
with every single possibility from her being blackmailed  
by some evil guy out to get him to her having fallen for  
a man somewhere. Kenshin quickly banished the   
latter thought from his mind. It disturbed him even more  
than the former did. Yes, surely Kaoru was being   
blackmailed. He had to follow her before she got hurt.  
  
Of course, it had to be today that undid the rest   
of his logical thinking. This morning, Kaoru wore a   
gorgeous dark blue kimono with white lilacs edged in   
violet on it. The color brought out the blue in her   
eyes and made her blue-black hair shine, rendering   
him speechless. She looked so happy and excited, that   
he would give the world to share that excitement with   
her.  
  
If only she would let him. If only he would allow  
himself.  
  
It could be that latter thought after all, baka,  
Kenshin's inner voice chimed in. After all, she doesn't  
look like she's being blackmailed.  
  
"Urusai," Kenshin muttered to himself.  
  
"Oy, Kenshin. Mooning over Jo-chan, aren't you?"   
Sanosuke walked into the yard and over to Kenshin, who   
stared at his reflection in the laundry tub.  
  
"Huh? What makes you say that?" the rurouni   
asked, red staining his cheeks.  
  
"Because that's my shirt and you've just rubbed a   
hole in it on the scrubbing board," Sano growled.  
  
"Oro?" Kenshin held up the large shirt, which now   
had a hole in the stomach. Was he that far gone that   
he didn't notice that the shirt didn't belong to   
anyone in the dojo? He frowned at his friend. "Since   
when did we start doing your laundry anyhow?"  
  
"Well, it just seemed convenient," Sano shoved   
his hands in his pocket. "Anyhow, I suppose you could   
make it up by treating me and the boy to lunch at the   
Akabeko."  
  
"Oro?"  
  
"Hey, Yahiko! Kenshin's buying us lunch!"   
Sanosuke yelled, grabbing Kenshin by his gi and   
hauling him as he strode across the lawn. Yahiko   
stopped swinging his bokken and walked beside Sanosuke   
as he dragged an "Oro"-ing Kenshin out the gate.  
  
  
*****  
Small Japanese/English list:  
  
Urusai - shut up  
Busu - ugly  
Arigato - Thanks  
Hai - Yes  
Ohayo - Good morning  
Ja ne - See you later  
Kaoru no Hatsukoi? - Kaoru's First Love  
  
  



	2. 

"Kaoru no Hatsukoi???"  
by DQBunny  
  
Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is not mine. Too   
bad. I could use a red-haired rurouni in my life. Oh   
well, he, Kaoru, and the others all belong to Watsuki   
Nobuhiro. The original concept for "Ami-chan no   
Hatsukoi" belongs to Takeuchi Naoko.  
  
Author's Note: This pitiful attempt at a first   
RK-fic (hey, you have to start somewhere) is loosely   
based off the Sailormoon SuperS special "Ami-chan no   
Hatsukoi." In fact, some scenes in this fic play out   
like the scenes from the anime version of the story.   
That's what you get for daydreaming about Kenshin   
stories while listening to music from another anime.   
Anyhow, enjoy this humble piece of work ::bows:: Also,  
the title itself means "Kaoru's First Love?" although   
we all know who that really is ;-)  
  
*****  
  
Part Two - She WHAT?  
  
Tae looked at her customers with a frown. Sanosuke   
and Yahiko seemed to be eating with their usual robust, but   
Kenshin looked like he was either depressed or deep in   
thought. Tsubame had left the Akabeko on an errand. The   
elder woman hoped that she would be back before Sano and   
Yahiko ate everything in the restaraunt.  
  
"So, where's Kaoru-chan?" she asked, noting the   
abscence of her friend. "Is she joining you later?"  
  
Yahiko shrugged and shoveled more rice in his mouth.   
Sanosuke actually stopped eating long enough to give her an   
answer. "Seems like Jo-chan's been busy lately, ne   
Kenshin?"  
  
"..." Kenshin stared into the cup of cooling green   
tea he held, not noticing the ongoing conversation.  
  
"Busu's been acting weird lately," Yahiko muttered   
through a mouthful of food. "She's always got this goofy   
grin on her face, and she goes around dressed in nice   
clothes. She leaves first thing in the morning and comes   
back at night. Her hair's all messed up and her kimono   
looks somewhat dirty, but she still has that goofy grin.   
It's weird."  
  
Tae gasped, dropping her tray. Sano and Yahiko   
stopped eat and stared at the waitress as if she had grown   
a third head. "What's wrong?" Sanosuke asked.  
  
"What else is she doing, Yahiko?" Tae zeroed in on   
the student.  
  
Yahiko set his chopsticks down and thought for a   
moment. "Well, the past two days, she's not touched me or   
lost her temper at all. When she's around, she's so nice   
and cheerful. It's almost like you want her to lose her   
temper or go around hitting people upside the head with her   
shinai just to know she's still Kaoru, ne Kenshin?"  
  
"..."  
  
"Damn rurouni's starting to act too much like   
Shinomori for me," Sanosuke muttered.  
  
"Oh no, oh no no no!" Tae leapt to her feet and   
started pacing the area in front of the table. "Oh, this is   
terrible! I didn't think she would do it! I always thought   
she had feelings for Ken-san!"  
  
"Huh?" Sanosuke and Yahiko gave Tae blank looks.   
Kenshin kept staring into his tea.  
  
Tae threw her hands in the air in exasperation.   
"Don't you understand what's going on?"  
  
Sanosuke and Yahiko stared at each other and   
scratched their heads.  
  
"Kaoru-chan's in love!!!" Tae cried at the top of her   
voice.  
  
"Duh," Sanosuke said, helping himself to more of the   
beefpot. "She's had a thing for Kenshin for months. It's   
not exactly the best-kept secret in Tokyo."  
  
"No, you baka!" Tae exclaimed, placing her hands on   
her hips. "She's in love with someone else!"  
  
The piece of meat Sano had speared slipped from his   
chopsticks back into the pot. Yahiko dropped his rice   
bowl, cooled clumps of rice flying everywhere. "USO!" They   
cried at the top of their lungs, then stared at Kenshin,   
who simply kept staring into his cup of tea...and had not   
heard a single word of the conversation.  
  
*****  
  
Tsubame paid the vendor for the vegetables she   
purchased and double-checked the basket to make sure she   
had received everything. Bowing respectfully to the   
vendor, she headed back toward the Akabeko at a lesiurely   
pace, enjoying the beautiful day and the free time while   
she could.  
  
Activity in the nearby park caught her eye and she   
looked through the gates to see row after row of tables   
draped with white Western-style tablecloths. Curosity got   
the best of the young woman, and she walked in the park to   
see what was going on. It would be great news to take back   
to the Akabeko and mull over with Tae later on. A group of   
women dressed in Western-style clothing stood chatting near   
one of the tables.  
  
"I can't believe Kamiya-san, that poor-bred tomboy   
coming in and taking over like that," one of the women   
said.  
  
Tsubame's ears zoomed in on the conversation. Being   
Tae's trainee helped when it came to eavesdropping,   
especially when it seemed to be particularly good gossip.   
Her ears had picked up on the words Kamiya and tomboy.   
Surely that had to be Kaoru! Tsubame frowned and scanned   
the area. Why would she be in a fancy place like this?  
  
"The poor girl doesn't have any experience either,"   
one of the other ladies added. "I think Washoku-san's just   
smittened with the girl to let her advance so quickly."  
  
A third lady sighed. "It seems she'll get the prize   
though."  
  
Prize? Tsubame's forehead wrinkled in concentration.   
The only contest she could imagine Kaoru entering would be   
some type of swordsmanship contest. But why would these   
fancy ladies be here? Perhaps to watch the competition...  
  
"But, did you hear?" One of the ladies was saying.   
"She accepted his proposal. She is estatic! They're going   
to do it today."  
  
"I'm surprise they'll find someone to perform the   
ceremony on such short notice," the first lady commented.  
  
"She doesn't want her current suitor to find out,"   
the third lady replied.  
  
Tsubame's eyes widened and the basket dropped to the   
ground, vegetables spilling everywhere. Her hands flew to   
her mouth. "Oh...oh no! I've got to get ahold of Kenshin-  
san before Kaoru-san makes a horrible mistake!" she cried,   
then whirled around and sped off toward the Akabeko as fast   
as she could.  
  
The women watched her leave. "Odd child," the second   
lady said with a shrug. "Anyhow, tell me more about your   
sister eloping, Mika-san."  
  
*****  
  
Hello, anyone home?  
  
Yes, I'm ignoring you Kenshin silently told his   
inner voice. The same inner voice that had been bugging   
him almost since day one of Kaoru's mysterious   
disappearance. He glanced at the table and noticed Sanosuke   
and Yahiko devouring the food while Tae chatted with them.   
At least that kept them occupied.  
  
Yeah, while you brood over Kaoru.  
  
Who asked you? What makes you think you know what's   
best for me anyhow?  
  
I've known what's best for your for years, Himura   
Kenshin! And look, I'm telling you now, you have got to get   
up the guts to go after Kaoru  
  
All over spending her days on errands? That would be   
pushing Kaoru-dono before she's ready.  
  
She's ready? Open those big pretty purple eyes of   
yours and look at her. She wants you! And you want her!   
Trust me, I know what's going on in this body of yours   
when you stare at her when you don't think she notices.  
  
Kenshin frowned. Hello? I'm sure this is not my   
voice of reason. It sounds too much like Hiko and Sanosuke   
to belong to me.  
  
Look, I'm just trying to get it through your thick   
skull that it's time that you really tell Kaoru how you   
feel. What if it's not just errands that she's on? What   
if she's with a guy?  
  
Kenshin smiled to himself. That's where you're   
wrong. Kaoru-dono's not off with another man. I know her.   
We respect and trust each other. I care for her.  
  
You care a lot.  
  
His cheeks grew scarlet. Yeah...  
  
Respect and trust are nice, but that's nothing   
compared to kissing and sucki...  
  
Kenshin shook his head slightly to jar the voice.   
HENTAI!  
  
Hey, you're a man, remember!  
  
"You've got to be either Sano or Hiko," Kenshin   
muttered, taking a sip of his now stone cold tea.  
  
Before Kenshin's inner voice could reply to that   
comment, Sanosuke leaped from his seat and jerked the   
rurouni up by his gi and shook him. "Didn't you hear what   
Tae-san just said?" he yelled while roughly waving the   
smaller man back and forth in the air.  
  
"Orooooo...," Kenshin groaned, the world spinning   
before him.  
  
"Jo-chan." Shake. "Is." Shake. "In." Shake. "Love."   
Shake. "With." Shake. "Someone." Shake. "ELSE!" Sano   
roared.  
  
"Sano...," Kenshin managed to say just as Tsubame ran   
into the restaraunt and over to their table, tears   
streaking down her cheeks.  
  
"Tsubame-chan!" Tae and Yahiko cried, running to her   
side.  
  
"Are you okay?" Tae asked, putting an arm around the   
girl's shoulders.  
  
"Who hurt you? I swear, as a student of Kamiya   
Kasshin Ryu, I will get revenge for you!" Yahiko vowed,   
hand closed over his shinai.  
  
"It's not me," Tsubame cried. "It's Kaoru-san!"  
  
Sano stopped shaking Kenshin. The rurouni jerked   
himself from Sano's hold and dropped to the ground, his   
hand moving instantly to his sakabatou. "What's wrong with   
Jo-chan?" Sanosuke asked, his eyes narrowing with anger.  
  
Tsubame broke away from Tae and ran to Kenshin. She   
latched onto his gi and stared at him, tears streaking down   
her cheeks. "Oh, Kenshin-san, you've got to stop her!   
You've got to save Kaoru-san!"  
  
The buried Battousai inside Kenshin began to stir and   
he fought down the violent side of him long enough to get   
Tsubame's side of the story. "It's okay, Tsubame-chan.   
Where is she? What happened?"  
  
Tsubame drug in a couple of breaths. She looked into   
Kenshin's eyes and saw the gold flecks sparkling among the   
violent. "She's getting married! Today!"  
  
Tae, Yahiko, and Sanosuke fainted.  
  
*****  
Small Japanese/English list:  
  
Busu - ugly  
Arigato - Thanks  
Hai - Yes  
Ohayo - Good morning  
Ja ne - See you later  
Baka – idiot  
Uso! – You're kidding!  
Kaoru no Hatsukoi? - Kaoru's First Love  
  
  



	3. Part Three - This Kiss

"Kaoru no Hatsukoi???"  
by DQBunny  
  
Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is not mine. Too   
bad. I could use a red-haired rurouni in my life. Oh   
well, he, Kaoru, and the others all belong to Watsuki   
Nobuhiro. The original concept for "Ami-chan no   
Hatsukoi" belongs to Takeuchi Naoko.  
  
*****  
  
Part Three – This Kiss  
  
Hajime Saitou looked up from his work and pulled out   
a cigarette. Outside the window, he saw the Kenshingumi   
walk down the street. No, it was more like marching. The   
unleashed fury contained among the group could be sensed   
even by someone with less developed senses than himself.  
  
Saitou lit the cigarette. "So, Battousai is on the   
prowl," he commented, taking a drag from the cigarette.   
"Looks like something worth watching." He pushed himself   
away from the desk and headed out the door.  
  
*****  
  
Kenshin could not deal with the emotions that drove   
him toward the place where Tsubame said where Kaoru was   
suppose to be. If she wanted to marry someone else, it was   
her choice. After all, if you love someone, you're suppose   
to make sure they're happy. Right?  
  
Wrong, buddy! Unless happiness is with you.   
Maa...maa...I've been trying to tell you for months, you   
should had jumped her as soon as she walked into Hiko's   
door in Kyoto...  
  
"URUSAI!!" Kenshin roared, coming to a halt. Yahiko   
plowed into him, and Sanosuke into him. All three ended up   
in a pile on the ground.  
  
"Orrrrooooo," Kenshin groaned.  
  
"Get off of me you fat thug!" Yahiko yelled at Sano.   
"Man, you've put on some weight!"  
  
Sano jumped off of Yahiko and snatched him up by his   
gi. "Who're you calling fat?"  
  
"You!" Yahiko kicked at him. "Even with eating   
busu's cooking!"  
  
"Her cooking can only be called lethal," Sano   
commented. Yahiko stopped struggling. He had to agree   
with Sanosuke on that one.  
  
"This is the place!" Tsubame pointed to the park   
across the street from them. "Look!"  
  
Kenshin got to his feet and approached the park   
entrance, his friends behind him. His violet eyes widened   
as he took in the lavish party setting before him. The   
rows of tables were now ladened with food. The park was   
filled to bursting with men and women of all ages, wearing   
both Western and traditional clothing. It had to be the   
biggest party he'd ever seen.  
  
"Su...sugoi," Yahiko whispered, looking around.  
  
"Man, look at all the food! This knocks the Akabeko   
clear out of the water!" Sanosuke added.  
  
"Excuse me?" Tae glared at Sano. "Who allows you to   
keep a running tab at my place?"  
  
"Gomen, gomen," Sano grinned sheepishly, running a   
hand through his unruly hair.  
  
Kenshin stepped carefully into the park, like the   
respectful rurouni he tried to be. Like a child, his eyes   
drank in the sights of wealthy people partying. Whoever   
Kaoru had met must be really well off. Better off than   
himself. Self-doubt began to nag at him. Who was he   
kidding? He could never afford to do this for Kaoru! She   
deserved this. She deserved so much more...  
  
He winced as a sharp pain resonated through a small   
part of his brain. Okay, I killed Self-Doubt. Now, find   
your woman!  
  
Kenshin frowned. You killed my self-doubt?  
  
Hey, if I didn't, who would?  
  
Kenshin scowled at Sanosuke, who had his back turned   
to him. The ex-gangster had snuck over to one of the   
tables and was now flirting with one of the women there   
while helping himself to the food. Sano picked up a gyoza   
and popped it in his mouth. His face turned about three   
different shades of green before he managed to swallow it.  
  
"Hey, this is good," Yahiko commented, walking over   
to Kenshin while munching on some onigiri. "I thought Sano   
liked gyoza," he added, taking another piece of onigiri off   
of another plate. He took one bite and promptly spat it   
out. "Gross! That stuff's horrible! It even makes   
Kaoru's taste good!"  
  
Kenshin frowned. "That's odd," he commented.   
"Wouldn't a big party like this be catered by one person?   
After all, if you're rich, surely you can afford good   
food."  
  
"Kenshin-san!" Tae appeared by Kenshin's side and   
grabbed hold of his gi. "Look on that platform!"  
  
Kenshin's gaze swung to the platform at the opposite   
end of the park and saw two people standing on it. One was   
a fat man dressed in Western-style clothing and the other   
was a small woman with black hair dressed in a blue kimono.   
"Kaoru-dono," he whispered, feeling elated to see her.  
  
Inside his body, Jealously broke loose from its   
buried cavern and surged through him. His eyes hardened,   
the Battousai within slowly awakening. He would kill that   
man. Wait. He couldn't kill him. Damn it! The one time   
it wouldn't bother him either.  
  
But, then again, Kaoru should be happy...  
  
I THOUGHT I KILLED YOU! Kenshin winced as his self-  
doubt was destroyed once more.  
  
"It's Jo-chan!" Sanosuke exclaimed. He raised his   
hands and hollered. "Yo!! Jo-chan!"  
  
"Nice and subtle, ahou. Nice and subtle," Yahiko   
groaned.  
  
"I don't think she can hear us," Tae said.   
"Something's going on up there."  
  
The fat man started talking to Kaoru. She smiled,   
then blushed. Jealously boiled through Kenshin.  
  
Then the man took her hand.  
  
Kenshin shoved the nearest man out of the way and   
marched toward the platform. Sanosuke and Yahiko flanked   
him, bodies tensed for battle. Behind them, Tae led   
Tsubame through the crowd. Tae looked every determined as   
Kenshin did while Tsubame apologized profusely to the   
people around them.  
  
At the back of the crowd, Saitou took a puff of his   
cigarette and watched the scene unfold before him.  
  
The blood roared between Kenshin's ears. His eyes   
remained fixed on Kaoru, on the stars in her eyes and the   
pink in her cheeks. She was blinded! He had to stop her,   
and he had to stop her now. He was going to tell her.   
Tell her everything. Then she'll leave the fat man and   
come back to him and he would spend the rest of his life   
worshipping the very ground she walked on. Sounded like a   
good plan to him.  
  
Kenshin marched onto the platform and froze several   
feet from Kaoru's back. The fat man stopped talking to   
Kaoru and glared at him. "Who are you? What do you want?"  
  
Kaoru whirled around. "Kenshin!" she cried.  
  
Kenshin froze. Self-doubt reincarnated for the third   
time since he left the Akabeko and kept him rooted to the   
spot just feet away from Kaoru. He tried talking, but no   
words came out of his mouth. Confusion and embarassment   
reflected in Kaoru's eyes, but something else as well. Was   
it....was it joy? Was she happy to be getting married to   
this man in Western clothing?  
  
He managed to get one of his feet to work. His left   
one. Kenshin took a step toward her. "Kaoru-dono," he   
whispered hoarsely.  
  
"Watch it you fool!" Yahiko yelled at Sanosuke, right   
before the two somehow fell into Kenshin.  
  
Kenshin toppled forward, squalling "Orrrooooo" as he   
reached out for the nearest solid thing to hold on to.  
  
Kaoru.  
  
Kenshin's arms wrapped around Kaoru's waist and his lips   
crashed down on top of hers.  
  
For the rest of his life, Kenshin would replay this moment   
frame by frame. Surely the gods were on his side during   
that one moment in time. Lord knows, he needed a little   
divine intervention.  
  
One moment, he was falling forward. The next, he was   
steady on his feet with Kaoru in his arms. For a split   
second, shock held his body rigid as he realized that he   
was finally kissing Kaoru. His lips relaxed against hers,   
and his arms tightened around her waist, drawing her closer   
to him. After a moment, Kaoru's hands hesistantly reached   
up and threaded through his hair.  
  
Somehow, Kenshin heard a small moan of pleasure. He didn't   
know if it had come from him or her. He didn't care. One   
of his hands worked its way up from her waist to cup the   
back of her head and gently angle it sideways to give him   
better access to her mouth. A small gasp from her and he   
immediately took advantage of the small movement to deepen   
the kiss. His lips gently bruised hers and oxygen started   
to become a precious commodity. But, he didn't care. Oh,   
he didn't care any longer.  
  
What was even better was now that he had taken the kiss   
further, Kaoru became very active in it, participating   
in it with the same heart and soul she put into Kamiya   
Kasshin Ryu. Their eyes fluttered shut.  
  
Behind them, Sanosuke, Yahiko, and Tae watched with with   
stunned expressions. Out near the park entrance, the   
cigarette dangled forgotton fron Saitou's lips as he   
watched Kenshin and Kaoru declare their feelings   
very...publicly to say the least.  
  
"Nice going, Kenshin!" Sanosuke cheered. "Didn't know you   
had it in you!"  
  
Sano's voice combined with the desperate need to breathe   
broke through the hazy fog of passion that developed around   
the couple. Kenshin slowly broke off the kiss, sucking   
gently at Kaoru's lower lip for a moment before lifting his   
mouth away from hers completely. If that didn't tell her   
his intentions, nothing would.  
  
Fighting down the blush that threatened to destory the   
moment, Kenshin stared deeply into Kaoru's closed eyes,   
willing her lids to open. His arms tightened around her   
waist. After a moment, they did, her eyes shining with   
tears.  
  
"Kaoru," Kenshin whispered, hoarsely. "Please, don't do   
it. I beg of you, do go through with this."  
  
"Huh?" Kaoru blinked. "Go through with what?"  
  
Kenshin slowly broke away from her and backed up a few   
steps. He gestured to the fat man and the crowd, who   
watched the ongoing scene enraptured. "This. Please,   
don't go through with whatever you're doing here."  
  
"But...I've already done it," Kaoru stammered.  
  
"NANI?" Everyone screamed. Kenshin's heart stopped.  
  
"See? I won too," Kaoru held out a blue ribbon toward him.  
  
Kenshin took the ribbon, silently cursing the fact that his   
hands shook like a leaf. The ribbon looked like a Western-  
style prize with a large "1" printed on it. Everyone   
crowded around him and stared at the ribbon, then at Kaoru,   
then back at the ribbon.  
  
"Exactly what did you win?" Sanosuke asked, scratching his   
head.  
  
"The cooking contest, baka!"  
  
"Cooking..," Tae sounded out.  
  
"Contest?" Tsubame finished. Everyone looked up at Kaoru.  
  
She placed her hands on her hips and sighed. "Hai, what   
did you think it was?"  
  
"Uh..." The group gave each other sheepish looks, then one   
by one their faces turned beet red.  
  
"Gomen nasai, Kaoru-san," Tsubame said, scruffing the   
ground with her toe. "You see, I thought you were getting   
married."  
  
"Nani?" Kaoru gasped.  
  
Tsubame nodded.  
  
"Well...well, you didn't help matters by being so   
secretive!" Yahiko blurted out. "You didn't tell anyone   
where you were going for days! We thought you had a   
boyfriend or something!"  
  
"Mou, baka! This is suppose to be a surprise! Besides,   
how could I love anyone but Kenshin?" Kaoru yelled at him.   
She gasped and her hand flew to her mouth. Her face   
quickly rivaled the color of Kenshin's hair. Her gaze shot   
to the ground.  
  
Tae, Tsubame, Yahiko, and Sanosuke stared at Kenshin to get   
his reaction. The rurouni stood, looking shell-shocked.   
  
"Go on, go on," Sano elbowed him. "This is when you're   
suppose to profess your undying devotion to her, get down   
on your knees, and propose."  
  
"Eeesh, some ex-gangster you make," Yahiko teased Sano.   
"You have a heart of mochi."  
  
"I heard that!" Sano yanked Yahiko up by his gi. "Care to   
repeat that?"  
  
"Make me shut up!"  
  
"Calm down, Yahiko-chan!" Tsubame turned her attention to   
the fighting men.  
  
"Don't call me 'chan'!"   
  
"Quiet down, you two," Tae said in a soothing voice.  
  
Meanwhile, Kenshin and Kaoru stared at each other, not   
quite sure what to say.  
  
"Kaoru-dono, sessha wa...," Kenshin started to explain.  
  
Kaoru sighed and turned away. "I know you didn't mean it."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"The kiss. I know it was just an accident. You ran into   
me. This entire thing's been a mess. I only signed up for   
the lessons so I could be a better cook for you and   
Yahiko," Kaoru's hand tightened in the folds of her kimono.   
"I wanted it to be a surprise, and now it's just a mess. I   
wish I never...huh?"   
  
Kaoru's words were silenced as Kenshin's lips bit off   
the rest of her sentence and her senses with a second kiss.   
He stared at her with determination. "Mo aishiteru,   
Kaoru," he stated firmly.  
  
Kaoru did not bother to check her tears. They streamed   
down her cheeks.  
  
At the back of the audience, Saitou watched, the ghost of a   
smile playing with the corners of his mouth. He turned   
around and left as silently as he entered, finishing his   
cigarette as he did so. The Battousai had finally gotten   
what he deserved.  
  
  
*****  
Small Japanese/English list:  
  
Busu - ugly  
Urusai – Shut up!  
Sessha wa – Kenshin's humbling way of referring to himself  
Mo aishiteru – I love you too.  
Kaoru no Hatsukoi? - Kaoru's First Love  
  
  



	4. Part Four - Epilogue

"Kaoru no Hatsukoi???"  
by DQBunny  
  
Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is not mine. Too   
bad. I could use a red-haired rurouni in my life. Oh   
well, he, Kaoru, and the others all belong to Watsuki   
Nobuhiro. The original concept for "Ami-chan no   
Hatsukoi" belongs to Takeuchi Naoko.  
  
*****  
  
Part Four - Epilogue  
  
In the courtyard of the Kamiya Dojo, most of the   
Kenshingumi gathered on the porch to finish their lunch.  
  
Yahiko groaned. "I can't believe we went through all of   
that for a dang cooking contest!" He munched on a rice ball   
that Kaoru had made about thirty minutes earlier. He leaned   
back against one of the beams supporting the dojo and   
sighed. She was even getting better than Kenshin, and that   
was scary itself.  
  
"Well now, Kaoru-dono's cooking has improved a great deal   
because of the contest," Kenshin smiled, working on his own   
food. "It's not such a bad thing."  
  
"You should be the one to talk, Don what's his face. Some   
English guy," Sanosuke added, setting his empty plate   
aside. "Man, Kenshin, I didn't even think you had it in you   
to kiss Jo-chan like that, especially in public." He   
elbowed Kenshin, sending the smaller man off the stairs. He   
landed on the ground on his back, face beet red.  
  
"Gomen nasai, Kenshin-san," Tsubame said from her place   
beside Yahiko. "It's all my fault that I thought Kaoru-chan   
was going to meet a man intead of a cooking contest."  
  
"Daijobu de gozaru," Kenshin replied, sitting up. "You   
couldn't had known."  
  
"And it all turned out for the best too!" Tae added.   
"Kaoru-chan's cooking skills have gotten much better!"  
  
"And you've finally made a move on her," Sano teased   
Kenshin.  
  
"So, I don't get what happened to cause the mixup between   
seeing a man and taking cooking classes," Megumi pondered,   
looking depressed. She had arrived at the dojo shortly   
after the group returned from the cooking contest and had   
quickly taken her anger out on Sanosuke about not going   
along with them after Kaoru.  
  
"It's quiet simple," Tae replied. She grabbed a stick off   
the ground and wrote several kanji in the dirt. "Tsubame-  
chan only heard part of the words being said to her. All   
she heard was Washo and kun, which would sound like a man's   
name, Washo-kun. But, the crowd drowned you out, didn't it,   
Tsubame-chan?"  
  
Tsubame nodded. "Actually, they said Washoku ni ikimasu,   
which meant that she went to the Washoku cooking school, not   
went to a man."  
  
"It all turned out for the best though," Tae added.  
  
Yahiko eyed the last rice ball on the plate at the same   
time Sanosuke did. The two glared at each other and reached   
for it. Their heads bumped and they began fighting each   
other.  
  
Ayame and Suzume ran out of the dojo and over to Kenshin.   
They tugged on his gi. "Ken-nii," Suzume said. "Watashi wa   
kowaii desu."  
  
"Doushide de gozaru ka, Suzume-chan?" Kenshin asked,   
putting an arm around the little girl.  
  
"Kaoru-nee-chan. She's...," Ayame started to say.  
  
Before she could finish, clouds of black smoke rolled from   
the dojo's kitchen window. Tae jumped to her feet. "The   
kitchen's on fire!" she yelled.  
  
"Kaoru-dono!"  
  
"Jo-chan!"  
  
"Busu!"  
  
The men in Kaoru's life immediately abandoned what they   
were doing and raced in the dojo, Megumi, Tae, Tsubame, and   
the little girls on their heels. Kenshin skidded to a stop   
when he saw Kaoru emerge safely from the kitchen. Sanosuke   
and Yahiko ran into him and all three landed on the ground   
in a squirming heap. The women avoided the men and   
surrounded Kaoru, who had tears streaming down her cheeks.  
  
"Kaoru-chan, is everything okay?" Tae asked, putting an arm   
around her friend.  
  
"Get up, tori-atama!" Megumi ordered Sanosuke, who was on   
top of Kenshin and Yahiko. "You three get a bucket brigade   
started! Tsubame, get Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan out of   
here."  
  
"The dojo's not on fire," Kaoru sniffed.  
  
"Then what's wrong?" Everyone asked at once.  
  
"I was trying to make sushi, but the rice was overdone, the   
fish fell into the fire, and I forgot to get seaweed...,"   
Kaoru threw her hands up in the air.  
  
Everyone sighed. "Well, guess that means things are back   
to normal, de gozaru?" Kenshin asked with a cheerful grin.  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Yahiko muttered. "Knew it was too good to be   
true."  
  
"I suppose we'll be heading over to the Akabeko for beef-  
pot tonight, eh?" Sanosuke licked his lips and rubbed his   
stomach.  
  
"Oh no!" Kaoru wiped soot from her face with her kimono   
sleeve. "You guys stay right here! I'm going to go start   
dinner again!" She turned on her heel and started toward   
the kitchen. She halted and whirled around in time to see   
Yahiko and Sanosuke sneaking toward the gate. "And don't   
you dare leave!" she roared.  
  
"Sano and Yahiko got in trouble!" Ayame cried, clapping her   
hands.  
  
"Don't get Kaoru-nee-chan mad!" Suzume added.  
  
Kaoru took a sweeping look at her family, her gaze   
lingering on Kenshin. He smiled at her and a faint blush   
appeared on her cheeks.   
  
"Don't ever give up, Kaoru," Kenshin said.  
  
The blush deepened and Kaoru nodded. Her hair curled and   
waved in the wind as she whirled around to rush back   
inside. Kenshin's breath caught as the newly-recognized   
feelings of love swept through him.  
  
Kaoru, don't ever let anyone take away your spirit or your   
willing to be the best. Your strength and determination...  
it's part of the reasons while I love you. Be the best in   
whatever you do. I'll always stand behind you.  
  
As if she heard his thoughts Kaoru stuck her head back out   
the door. "I'll never give up trying!" she exclaimed, her   
eyes shining with joy and the esscence that was Kamiya Kaoru.  
  
OWARI  
  
*****  
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Thank you very much to everyone who gave  
me comments and helped me out with small fic. Kudos goes to  
Lilac Summers, who knows how to write a damn good kissing   
scene and was my inspiration for that part of the fic. For  
the record, the sentence that caused so much confusion with  
Tsubame is "Kamiya-san wa Washoku ni ikimasu," which   
translates to "Ms. Kamiya is going to Washoku." In this case,  
it is a cooking school. The way Tsubame heard it, it sounded  
like "Ms. Kamiya is going to Mr. Washo," making it sound like  
a meeting.  
  
*****  
Small Japanese/English list:  
  
daijobu de gozaru - It's okay  
Watashi wa kowaii desu - I'm scared.  
gomen nasai - I'm sorry  
doushide de gozaru ka - what's wrong?  
tori-atam - Rooster head  
Kaoru no Hatsukoi? - Kaoru's First Love  
Owari - The end!  



End file.
